Wakayama castle – ページ 3 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

167.Shingu Castle Part1

A castle with advanced stone walls

Location and History

Singu City has Long History

Shingu City is located in the southern part of Wakayama Prefecture, around the estuary of Kumano-gawa River. It has a rich nature and a long history. It even has a tradition that Jofuku of the Qin Dynasty in ancient China. He arrived in search of the elixir of life. It is also known for the location of Kumano Hayamizu Taisha, one of the three main Kumano Shrines. Because of the location, the Chief Priest or Betto of Kumano Shrines had governed the area. However, the Shrines’ power decreased during the Sengoku Period when many battles happened.

The Jofuku Park in Shingu City (*licensed by 663highland via Wikimedia Commons)*

Kumano Hayamizu Taisha Shrine (*licensed by 663highland via Wikimedia Commons)*

Tadayoshi Asano builds Castle, followed by Shigenaka Mizuno

Instead, a local lord of the Horiuchi Clan got the power to govern. In 1600 when the Battle of Sekigahara occurred, the clan supported the Western Squad. That resulted in the clan’s destruction because the Eastern Squad, led by Ieyasu Tokugawa who was the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate, won. The shogunate sent the Asano Clan to Kii Province, what is modern day Wakayama Prefecture, as its lord. The Shingu area was governed by Tadayoshi Asano, the clan’s relative, who first built Shingu Castle.

The range of Kii Province and the location of the castle

The area prospered as a junction for water transportation connecting Kumano-gawa River and the Pacific Ocean. Wooden materials such as the Kumano Cedar were gathered in and carried from there using it. People, who had been called the Kumano Navy in the Sengoku Period, operated it. Tadayoshi needed to control them by building the castle, which was built on a hill called Tankaku-yama near the estuary of the river. He was also required to make the castle strong because some local warriors and farmers called the Kitayama Uprising were against him. In 1614, the uprising people actually tried to attack the castle, but were repelled by the Asano troops with the former Navy people.

Part of the illustration of Shingu Castle in Kii Province, exhibited by the National Archives of Japan

The castle was once abandoned in 1615 because of the Law of One Castle per Province by the Tokugawa Shogunate. However, Tadayoshi was allowed to start rebuilding the castle probably at the same place in 1618 for some reasons. After he was transferred to another territory by the shogunate, the Tokugawa Clan owned the province. The clan was one of the three branches of the Tokugawa Family, based in Wakayama Castle as the Kishu Domain. A senior vassal of the clan, Shigenaka Mizuno entered Shingu Castle following the construction that Tadayoshi Asano launched. The construction continued for many years and was finally completed in 1667.

The portrait of Shigenaka Mizuno, owned by Kinshoji Temple (*licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

Advanced Stone Walls and Water Supply Enclosure used for Trading

The castle had several buildings on the hill, including the three-level Main Tower. However, one of the most important features of it have been its advanced stone walls. The construction of the castle was done in the later period than those of other castles in Japan. This was because building new castles were basically not allowed after the law in 1615. Methods of processing and piling stone walls were much improved until then. Shingu Castle was one of the few cases which could enjoy the advanced technology completely.

Another outstanding feature of it was Mizunote or the Water Supply Enclosure below the hill along the river. This was used as a port probably for the Navy at the first stage of the castle. However, in the peaceful time of the Edo Period, there were a lot of storage rooms for charcoal in the enclosure. It is thought that the charcoal was delivered from the castle to sell to large cities like Edo and Osaka. The Kii Domain made a profit on it. This was a rare example of economic activities which were done in Japanese castles.

THE charcoal, unearthed in the enclosure, , exhibited by Shingu City Museum of History and Folklore

To be continued in “Shingu Castle Part2”

155.Akagi Castle Part1

The starting point of Takatora Todo as a castle construction master

Location and History

Takatora was seeking his Ideal Master

Akagi Castle was located in the mountain part of Kii Province what is now Wakayama Prefecture. The castle was built around 1589 by Takatora Todo who would be a well-known master of castle construction later. The castle was one of his earliest castles, so it can be seen as the starting point of his castle construction. Takatora came from Omi Province near Kyoto during the Sengoku Period when so many warlords divided the country and often battled with each other. He was well built and distinguished himself in many wars, however, his masters didn’t always survive. As a result, he changed his masters as many as seven times like an excellent business person changes one’s job several times now. In 1576, he found his fourth master, Hidenaga Toyotomi, the little brother of Hideyoshi Toyotomi who would become the ruler of Japan later.

The range of Kii Province and the location of the castle

The portrait of Takatora Todo, private owned (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Hedenaga was a nicely balanced leader joining his brother’s unification of Japan. Takatora was promoted by Hidenaga to one of his senior vassals and also learned many elements of the enterprise, one of which was how to build castles. He must have experienced it through many battles under Hidenaga. In 1585, Hideyoshi had conquered Kii Provence which was given to Hidenaga. Hidenaga also gave part of the province to be governed to Takatora. However, it was not easy because many local lords still didn’t want to be ruled by others, who also had guns which were popular weapons in the province at that time. One of Takatora’s answers to the question was to build his new castle called Akagi Castle.

The portrait of Hidenaga Toyotomi, owned by Shungakuin Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Matchlock guns which were popular weapons at that time

Mountain Castle with Advanced System

Akagi Castle was a simple mountain castle with its Main Enclosure on a hill and its other enclosures on the three ridges in the north, east, and west. They are similar to many other castles built at that time so far. Takatora added advanced systems with his own ideas and experiences using the current technology. First, the Main Enclosure was basically square shaped and surrounded by high stone walls. The line of the walls was also bended elaborately to make a side attack to enemies. Its entrance was guarded by a small square space called Masugata. These features can be seen in other castles Takatora built later such as Imabari and Tsu Castles. Other enclosures were also surrounded by stone walls and placed wisely. For example, if visitors or enemies wanted to go the Main Enclosure by passing the enclosures on the eastern ridge, they had to go through three alternated entrances called Koguchi.

The layout of Akagi Castle, from the signboard at the site, adding the red letters for the Enclosures’ names

The stone walls of the Main Enclosure at Akagi Castle Ruins

Takatora succeeded in governing the area around the castle. The castle probably provided relief from dangerous battles and Takatora’s authority to the local people. However, his stable governance was not done by only the castle, but also by his strict policy. He executed 160 rebels including local warriors and farmers, called Kitayama Uprising, at Tabirako Mountain Pass near the castle just after the completion of the castle. The reason for the uprising is said that they were against Hideyoshi’s nationwide land survey because the government before Hideyoshi did not recognize how much field people had. People had to pay more tax after the government survey. That was one of the realities in the Sengoku Period.

The relief map around the castle

Castle is followed by Asano Clan before abandoned by One Castle per Province Law

In the first 17th Century, the Asano Clan governed Kii Province. They were based in Wakayama Castle, but also used Akagi Castle as the Kitayama Uprising people rebelled again. The clan executed more people than Takatora. Akagi Castle was finally abandoned due to the Law of One Castle per Province by the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1615.

To be continued in “Akagi Castle Part2”

48.Matsusaka Castle Part1

Ujisato Gamo, a great isolated talent, built this castle.

Location and History

Matsusaka Castle was located in what is now Matsusaka City, Mie Prefecture, which was called Ise Province in the past. The castle was first built by Ujisato Gamo in 1588 and maintained by other clans later on. Ujisato was a warlord who is not well known, even to people in Japan, for his abilities and achievements. This is probably because he died young at 40 years old – his descendants also all died young, and the clan has become extinct. As a result, few records and traditions of Ujisato remained. He seemed to be a great isolated talent, like a comet.

The portrait of Ujisato Gamo, owned by Aizu Wakamatsu Library (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Ujisato Gamo came from Omi Province, which is now Shiga Prefecture. The clan originally served the Rokkaku Clan, a warlord at Kannonji Castle in the province during the Sengoku Period. When Nobunaga Oda, who would later be the ruler, invaded the province in 1568, the Gamo Clan surrendered to Nobunaga, sending their successor, Ujisato to him as a hostage. However, Nobunaga found Ujisato was particularly outstanding among the many hostages from other clans, and married Ujisato to his daughter. Ujisato became a relative of Nobunaga. After Nobunaga was killed in the Honnoji Incident in 1582, Ujisato supported Hideyoshi Toyotomi, the next ruler. In 1584, he was promoted by Hideyoshi to a lord with an earning of 120,000 koku (rice) in Ise Province. He first lived in Matsugashima Castle which the previous lord had built, but decided to build his new home base which would be Matsusaka Castle.

The portrait of Nobunaga Oda, attributed to Soshu Kano, owned by Chokoji Temple, in the late 16th century (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The Portrait of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, attributed to Mitsunobu Kano, owned by Kodaiji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The range of Ise Province and the location of the castle

Ujisato builds Castle and Town emulating Rulers

Ujisato built the main portion of the new castle on a hill near the previous one. Several enclosures were built on the hill, all surrounded by high stone walls. It was done by inviting a guild of craftsmen called Ano-shu from Omi Province, Ujisato’s hometown. This portion was strictly protected by these walls with alternating gates and some turrets along complex routes. The upper tier of the Main Enclosure on the top had the three-level Main Tower. The Third Enclosure was built around the hill, which was used as warriors’ houses. The water moat surrounded them. Ujisato also built the castle town beside the castle by bringing in merchants from his hometown, which was famous for the “Omi Merchant”. Overall, he built the castle and town in the ways his masters, Nobunaga and Hideyoshi developed their towns, with his own ideas and experiences. He finally named the castle Matsusaka, which combined a good word “Matsu” or Pine, and “saka”, part of the name of his current master, Hideyoshi’s Osaka Castle.

The remaining high stone walls of Matsusaka Castle

Part of the map of old Matsusaka Castle in Ise Province, exhibited by the National Archives of Japan

In 1590, just after Hideyoshi’s unification of Japan, Ujisato was promoted and moved again to the Aizu area in the Tohoku Region to control the region. His territory finally reached an earning of 910,000 koku, which meant he became one of the greatest lords in Japan. He renovated a castle by building high stone walls and the Main Tower like Matsusaka Castle. The castle was renamed Wakamatsu Castle by him. It is also said that he advised a local lord, Nobunao Nanbu to build a castle with high stone walls, which was completed after his death, called Morioka Castle. These two castles are very rare ones, all built with high stone walls, in the region. Ujisato was also known as a tea ceremony master, poet, and Christian. However, he unfortunately died of illness in 1595.

*The remaining stone walls of Morioka Castle*

It is difficult for other lords to maintain Castle

After Ujisato left the castle, which was subsequently inherited by the Hattori, Furuta, and Tokugawa Clans, respectively. The first two clans had smaller territories than Ujisato, so they could not afford to maintain the castle. The Tokugawa Clan, one of the three branches of the Tokugawa family, also could not do so, because the clan was based in Wakayama Castle. The stone walls of Matsusaka Castle were somehow repaired, but the buildings of it eventually deteriorated. For example, the Main Tower collapsed due to a windstorm in 1644 but was not restored. The Back Gate had only a thatched roof at the end of the Edo Period. On the other hand, the castle town prospered in the period. The merchants of the town were known as the “Ise Merchant”. For instance, the founder of the kimono shop Echigoya, which is present Mitsukoshi department store, Takatoshi Mitsui came from the town.

The old photo of the Back Gate which had a thatched roof, exhibited by Matsusaka City Museum of History and Folklore

Echigoya in “*Suruga Town” from the series “100 Famous Views of Edo” attributed to Hiroshige Utagawa in the Edo Period (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimeidia Commons*)

To be continued in “Matsusaka Castle Part2”